After a historically turbulent budget process, California was finally able to settle on a budget plan, which though not fully satisfactory for any party involved, will address some of the problems facing California’s economy.
“Democrats in the California State Legislature made tough choices and delivered an honest, balanced and on-time budget that contains painful cuts and brings government closer to the people through a historic realignment.
Putting our state on a sound and sustainable fiscal footing still requires much work, but we have now taken a huge step forward, ” said Gov. Jerry Brown in a statement.
The governor’s initial proposal aimed to cut the state’s budget deficit completely by 2012 by increasing government revenue through extending voter-approved taxes, cutting government programs, and realigning state government.
However, the proposal faced resistance from both sides of the political spectrum, as Democrats have disfavored cutting state programs and Republicans have resisted extending taxes.
Despite heat from both parties, Brown succeeded in gaining Democratic support for cutting state programs. However, his budget proposal reached a stalemate when Republicans rejected the plan to give the decision about whether to extend taxes to voters in a special election.
In reaction, Brown vetoed the revised budget, which did not include tax extensions, in a highly unusual use of the veto—the first ever in the state’s history.
“In January, I presented a balanced budget solution of deep spending cuts and a proposal to let the people of California to vote on whether to extend some taxes on a temporary basis. Unfortunately, the Republicans said no,” Brown said in video release on June 16. “In the budget that I received today, there was … positive work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go far enough.”
The budget veto, in addition to claims by state Controller John Chiang that the budget was not balanced; caused the state to miss the budget submission deadline.
In November, California voters passed a law that required cutting state legislators’ paychecks for every day that they failed to meet the submission deadline. With this, Brown and others were pressured to pass a revised version of the budget.
The new budget implements more than $12 billion in state program cuts.
The positive side of this budget for California is that Brown has already succeeded in cutting the deficit by 75 percent. It also seems that he has secured his place in the hearts of the public, as polls have shown that the public supports both his desire to extend taxes and to cut state programs to deal with the deficit facing the state.
“Democrats in the California State Legislature made tough choices and delivered an honest, balanced and on-time budget that contains painful cuts and brings government closer to the people through a historic realignment.
Putting our state on a sound and sustainable fiscal footing still requires much work, but we have now taken a huge step forward, ” said Gov. Jerry Brown in a statement.
The governor’s initial proposal aimed to cut the state’s budget deficit completely by 2012 by increasing government revenue through extending voter-approved taxes, cutting government programs, and realigning state government.
However, the proposal faced resistance from both sides of the political spectrum, as Democrats have disfavored cutting state programs and Republicans have resisted extending taxes.
Despite heat from both parties, Brown succeeded in gaining Democratic support for cutting state programs. However, his budget proposal reached a stalemate when Republicans rejected the plan to give the decision about whether to extend taxes to voters in a special election.
In reaction, Brown vetoed the revised budget, which did not include tax extensions, in a highly unusual use of the veto—the first ever in the state’s history.
“In January, I presented a balanced budget solution of deep spending cuts and a proposal to let the people of California to vote on whether to extend some taxes on a temporary basis. Unfortunately, the Republicans said no,” Brown said in video release on June 16. “In the budget that I received today, there was … positive work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go far enough.”
The budget veto, in addition to claims by state Controller John Chiang that the budget was not balanced; caused the state to miss the budget submission deadline.
In November, California voters passed a law that required cutting state legislators’ paychecks for every day that they failed to meet the submission deadline. With this, Brown and others were pressured to pass a revised version of the budget.
The new budget implements more than $12 billion in state program cuts.
The positive side of this budget for California is that Brown has already succeeded in cutting the deficit by 75 percent. It also seems that he has secured his place in the hearts of the public, as polls have shown that the public supports both his desire to extend taxes and to cut state programs to deal with the deficit facing the state.
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